


Guilt & Innocence

by hanabimonai



Series: The Balancing Acts [1]
Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Comedy, F/M, Humor, M/M, My First Work in This Fandom, Oblivious Finders, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Sexual Content, Sexual Humour, Sexual Tension, Unusual Innocence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-01
Updated: 2012-04-28
Packaged: 2017-11-02 20:30:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/373044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanabimonai/pseuds/hanabimonai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Allen, Kanda, Lenalee, and Miranda stay in a small, secluded village as they search for an Innocence that seems to have some very, VERY unusual effects on people. YULLEN, with a whole lotta denial going on. <b>M-rated for adult situations and swearing.</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I took a (lengthy!) break from _No. 6_ fics but for anyone wondering, I'm getting right back at it and will hopefully post some more very soon, probably starting with the final part of the "In the West Block" series (which began with _Waiting_ ).
> 
> (Yay yay yay for shameless plugs! /sarcasm)
> 
> So yes, I'm an extreme latecomer to DGM (only caught up on the manga last December after finishing the anime), who obviously got there via the reverse-route (following comparisons to Nezumi and Shion, my OTP). Yet I LOVE that the two pairs-- Shion and Nezumi, Kanda and Allen-- despite how similar they _look_ are  completely different.
> 
> So as not to overwhelm everyone, I'll post 1-2 chapters to this tale two or three days a week, unless I see overwhelming demand to speed things up. There's also potential for _omake_ , depending how many people are interested. (I've definitely got some cut M-rated material I can put _somewhere_ anyway, and I'm not in the mood to do another long fic anytime soon, much though I like how this one turned out...) BTW All chapters are more-or-less at/under 1500 words except one which is about 1700. (Prologue  & Epilogue are each ~500 on their own.)
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** DGM is not mine, or I'd probably draw a LOT more hints and comparisons between Allen and Alma. ^_~
> 
> Hope you enjoy my first DGM fic! :D

**Prologue**

Allen and Kanda fought a lot. A _lot._ Many supposed it might have something to do with the manner in which they met; Kanda seriously attempting to maim or kill Allen, whom the Order mistakenly suspected to be an _Akuma_. But if you asked Kanda, he would tell you it was inevitable— he hated Allen's type. If you asked Allen, he too would say it was inevitable— Kanda just got on his nerves. One thing they agreed upon was that their mutual animosity would have developed regardless of the circumstances under which they met.

They would reaffirm this fact daily, whenever aware of each other's presence. The slightest excuse would set one off teasing or taunting the other, and they would instantly be at each other's throats. Lenalee was concerned about this at first, but soon realized it was just going to be the natural state of things when the two spent time around each other. The only times Allen had ever spoken harshly to her were those when she dared interrupt one of their verbal sparring sessions, or to try to pull him out of one of their brawls. (And actually, even Kanda would be harsher than usual at such times, which is _really_ saying something.)

If the two of them happened to be a long distance away from each other or unable to speak for other reasons but within each other's sight, intense stares would collide, frightening all those who mistakenly got caught up in the crossfire of daggers streaming from their eyes. This phenomenon caused the two of them to reliably miss large portions of Komui's mission briefings if they were to be sent on missions together, forcing each to hurriedly read up on the details in secret. (Usually Allen crammed very late at night; Kanda caught up extremely early in the morning.) As they travelled to their destination, the pair would add this fresh material to their hostile banter, randomly quizzing each other on various aspects of the mission, its location, or even the most obscure comments the Finders may have made about the situation there— Each seeking a chance to humiliate the other.

Colleagues and teammates alternated being amused, horrified, disgusted or even bored and jaded, witnessing the two young men go at it. Lenalee and Lavi eventually stopped bothering to interfere. (Bookman was pleased to note his apprentice's growing detachment from such matters… but he kept that to himself.) Along with the others, they began to ignore the spats and duels that frequently flared up between the two teens.

**Chapter 1**

On a fine mid-summer day, a warm breeze carried sweet green and vaguely floral scents; colourful birds were zipping overhead and twittering in the trees; and the lazy sun in the clear blue, endless sky was lumbering along to eventually set beautifully over a nearby lake at the forest's edge. There, Lenalee, Miranda, Allen, and Kanda reached their cozy, quiet lodgings at the outskirts of a small rural town in Eastern Europe.

Lenalee and Miranda were immediately enchanted with their lovely surroundings and the feeling of peace they seemed to inspire. Yet meanwhile, Allen and Kanda, last to dismount the wagon that brought the four of them, were in the middle of a heated dispute over who had dared to touch whose baggage, who was liable to break something, and who had better not be seen touching said baggage again. Having endured such spontaneous outbursts between the two of them with increasing frequency during their long, long, far-too-long journey, the girls announced they needed their rest and hastened inside.

Komui had arranged for the two women to share a room, and the two men to have their own next to the women's room and _not across from it_ , by his express instructions. Unfortunately he was less successful at convincing the innkeeper to bar _anyone_ from staying in the room opposite his little sister's, lest opened doors allowed them to see something they shouldn't. When the guard robot he suggested they bring along was flat out refused by all party members— in Kanda's case, that refusal coming at blade-point— Lenalee's doting older brother had tried making such a request, yet the inn matron only said she'd _consider_ occupying other rooms first. She wouldn't guarantee a thing.

As the women were checking in (and apologizing profusely for the commotion outside), the two young men were still at each other's throats. As usual, one would gain advantage in the brawl, only to lose it to the other an instant later. Things went back and forth like this in rapid succession for a few minutes, as the sun began its descent over the softly rippling waters of the lake. The sky and water were being painted several lovely shades of orange when Kanda slammed Allen up against a wall and raised his fist but then suddenly froze for an instant, and signalled with a finger to his lips for Moyashi to shut up. Allen had already paused his own fist in the air, having instantly read his rival's sudden change of facial expression. Kanda had heard something. He looked around, with Allen following his sober gaze, yet there was nothing unusual in sight. And obviously no Akuma, as Allen's cursed eye wasn't reacting. Whatever Kanda heard appeared to have come from the forest… but it was gone now. There was a chirrup from the rooftop, and a bright red bird flew off toward the woods.

Kanda kept staring over his shoulder in the direction of the forest, until he felt a rock-solid hand over the one he had twisted Allen's collar in to hold him up against the wall. He whipped back to look into Allen's eyes just then and for some reason, the white-haired youth, who had presumably been attempting to remove the hand bunching fabric tightly around his neck, remained still. His hand rested on Kanda's, rather than trying to remove it, and there was a questioning look from his silver-grey eyes. They stared at each other a moment, still as sculpture. There was confusion in both pairs of eyes, but also something else. _Something_ that made their heart rates soar in unison, though neither knew this was the case for both. It was strange and awkward… and exciting, whatever it was. But it had to end _now_.

Allen finally broke away, tossing the hand off his neck with ease. Kanda turned his back abruptly and very swiftly disappeared with his travel bag hanging over his shoulder. There was some very loud shouting from Kanda after he took the key to their room from the front desk attendant inside. He was telling someone very rudely that he didn't need any help and to leave him alone. Allen sidled up to the window and peeked inside, fearing Kanda was making a bad impression on the inn's staff. But while they were around to witness it, they weren't who he was shouting at.

_That's right!_

It was arranged that a Finder would meet them that night at their lodgings. The poor, bespectacled young man was obviously new to the job and seemed rather distraught at his mishandling by the proud and cruel swordsman; he hung his head in shame; his tightly-drawn hood not really covering his flustered expression.

Allen resolved to be extra nice to the _kid_ himself… (Actually, he was probably about Kanda's age) …but that would start in the morning. Right now, he wanted to get ready for bed and be up in time for a nice morning shower in the communal bath he'd read of.

Allen remained outside a minute or two longer, watching warm light recede from the waters of the lake. It had been very quickly getting dark out, and he was counting on the increasing shadows and lingering summer heat to conceal the strange flush he'd felt coming to his face. Allen rationalized to himself that the blush he was evidently wearing was quite simply a sudden increase in circulation to his head, from when that violent _jerk_ released him. He tried hard not to think about the fact the grip on his neck had not loosened until _after_ he'd perceived this phenomenon beginning to occur. Not that he had any real _reason_ to, but he was glad Timcanpy hadn't been around to witness this little altercation with his rival.


	2. Chapter 2

After checking on the room number with the front desk, and hurried apologies to the young Finder in the lobby, Allen rushed upstairs… only to find the door to his room… _locked_. Pounding on the thick wooden door and yelling at ' _BaKanda!'_ to _'Open up already!'_ availed no response from inside. Soon Miranda peeked out her door to check on the cause of the racket, however. She helpfully pointed out she'd seen Kanda heading for the shower. Then the two of them each turned to face opposite directions of the hallway and bowed in sincere apology to several other guests who had peeked their heads out of their rooms due to the disturbance Allen had made to the quiet peace.

The communal shower facility was hazy with steam as Allen entered. At the opposite end of the initial changing area, a patterned, translucent glass partition rose from knee to shoulder height. It seemed an effective privacy measure but did little to inhibit the constant clouds of vapour rolling in from the other side.

Silently cursing the heat and humidity, Allen unbuttoned the top two buttons of his tunic and absently fanned himself with one of his gloves as he walked to the far end of the changing area. There, three piles of belongings were spread about in messy piles within shelves along the outer wall. Actually, upon closer inspection Allen discovered it was really only two persons' possessions that were strewn about haphazardly— the third was meticulously folded and organized to the point of obsession. He rolled his eyes at the sight, smirking to himself a little as well. _That'll be Kanda's._

Allen had barely started rummaging however, when he felt a certain sleek and smooth sword edge along his recently-bared neck.

"Oh, it's _you_ ," Kanda grumbled, as if Allen's being there was a great disappointment as compared to the thought of an actual thief.

But Allen was genuinely startled.

"Ka- Kanda?" The blade still at his throat, Allen looked over his shoulder reflexively.

Long, dark, soaking wet hair cascaded smoothly over bare shoulders, a few dripping locks streaming down one smooth, chiselled chest with a curious tattoo… The mist around them began to clear a little more now, and for reasons of which he was currently unaware, Allen's mind began to panic when he realized Kanda wasn't wearing a towel.

_Wait, why am I looking—? Oh! Oh my god, look up! Look up!_ Dark eyes scrutinized Allen as his gaze climbed upward from the dangerous parts below up to relatively safe shoulder level, where he was conveniently reminded; _Oh yeah, there's a sword against my neck… I should concentrate on that…_

Mugen was withdrawn and a lean, yet muscular arm reached past Allen's head, instantly locating the room key, and sprinkling Allen's face with droplets of water in the process of pulling it toward the figure ghosting so close to Allen's back. He finally spun around to meet the nude swordsman's eyes and their room key was dangled in his face. "I take it you're looking for _this?"_

"R-right. Thanks." There was no way Kanda hadn't seen where wandering eyes had roamed. Allen supposed his lack of concern stemmed from limitless pride. To Kanda, it was only natural for others to be awed by his stunning physique and flawless skin. So, Allen reasoned, he genuinely couldn't have cared less about some (quite involuntary!) ogling.

As he fled back to their room— one last glimpse behind leaving him with the image of a now towelled Kanda's biceps and pectorals flexing as he gathered up long, dark hair from behind— Allen wasn't sure why he was getting so embarrassed about all this.

_We're both guys. It's no big deal, right?_

_Oh— I forgot to complain about him hogging the key!_

In the tiny room he was to share, just as in the rest of the building, Allen found wood grain walls and hardwood floors; a varnished wooden dresser and matching wardrobe; and finally, wood-framed bunk beds.

A no-brainer really. Top bunk. Allen _always_ gets the top bunk. _No exceptions._ (His Master always disappeared anyway, so even if he tried to claim that most desirable spot, Allen just took it back later.) He tossed some of his things up into the bunk, hurriedly changed into sleep clothes, visited the nearby restroom, and was soon settling in to rest. _This is actually really comfortable_ , he thought _…_ and he was out.

It didn't feel like much time had passed before he felt the covers ripped back and a hand— no, a _death grip_ — closing in on his shoulder. Long, thin fingers squeezed hard as Allen's eyes flew open in shock. A topless Kanda was straddling him. He could feel a full-body panic coming on… "Wha— Kanda? What's going o—"

"Out." Kanda's one hand was lifting Allen up roughly at the shoulder.

"Huh?" He blinked in confusion.

"Top bunk is mine. Get out."

"What the hell?" Indignation ignited in Allen's chest. "Don't try to pull that on me! I got here first! It's mine!"

"I got to the _room_ first. Dibs."

" _What?_ There are two beds here and you didn't even _try_ to claim it. Look!" He pointed; " _Your_ stuff is _still_ on the floor!"

"Tch. I'm taking this bed if I have to throw you out of it myself—"

With one hand still vised onto Allen's shoulder, Kanda glided toward the wall and took a grip of Allen's farther leg from underneath, just above the bend of the knee, in preparation to roll him off the bed. Allen struggled to kick him off but Kanda was solidly anchored. "Y-you can't be serious! If you throw me from up _here,_ I could really get hurt!"

"You wouldn't have to worry about falling out of bed if you slept in the bottom bunk, _Moyashi_."

"The ONLY reason I'm worried about it is because YOU'RE going all _psycho_ on me… and the name is ALLEN, _BAKANDA!"_

A scuffle ensued, punctuated often with taunts and yells from both sides. Kanda slid his hand down from the Allen's shoulder death grip to an Allen's upper arm death grip. His other hand clutched firmly behind Allen's knee. As one of his arms was pinned, Allen attempted to kick a foot into Kanda's midriff to push him away, but he may as well have kicked solid iron. His other arm strained to remove Kanda's hand from his other leg.

The two would have been more evenly matched if Kanda hadn't applied the element of surprise from the start. Even as things were, Allen was putting up a good fight— but he could tell it was going to be a losing battle if he didn't do something drastic.

Pulling on the arm below his leg caused Kanda's hand to ride up underneath his thigh. Since kicking at him went nowhere, Allen decided to try wrapping a leg around Kanda's back. That leg managed to draw Kanda closer— so that his grip would loosen and he wouldn't be able to toss Allen over so easily— but it also brought Kanda's face closer to his own.

Now with an eyeful of intense dusky blue eyes and smooth, perfect lips, Allen found his other leg was able to break free and work its way to meet the first behind Kanda's waist. Kanda's hand that was at his thigh earlier had somehow migrated now to his bottom, and— surely, surely in search of a grip to lift him out of the bed with— was squeezing hard at one cheek. But Allen now had a free hand and on impulse, lifted it up to Kanda's face, which he felt like cupping for some reason. Damp strands of hair tumbled between his fingers. Details were hazy on the spur of the moment, but he'd surely be able to do _something_ by reaching for that face; that hair. _Surely._ Yet they both were panting— because, Allen assumed, they were _fatigued!_ Of course under his bedclothes, other… less comprehensible… _things_ … were also occurring, and—

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

There was an impressively loud pounding on the other side of the wall right near Allen's head. It drowned out the boys' yells, mattress creaks and even the bed posts' sporadic crashing against the wall.

" _Would you two SHUT UP? Some of us are trying to SLEEP here!"_ Lenalee's unusually irate voice boomed from just on the other side of the wall. It seemed _all_ their beds were pushed up against the same wall— and Lenalee was right beside them, right now. "Kanda, just let Allen keep the top bunk!"

" _Umm… So sorry to disturb you! Sorry, we couldn't sleep! Sorry!"_ Miranda inexplicably apologized from below.

"You know," Kanda announced, "You haven't even _showered_. I don't think I _want_ this one anymore if it's going to be full of _your_ scent. Keep it. It's all yours, Moyashi."

Allen was no longer in the mood to argue. Kanda left the room in a rush for some reason— perhaps for the restroom? Not that it mattered, of course. Now all Allen needed to do was figure out what to do about a certain pressing matter in his pants. Well, normally he _would_ know what to do, but the thought of Lenalee being _right there_ … put a damper on things.

Somehow, Allen managed to drift to sleep before Kanda returned. Yet his dreams were laced with scenes involving the figure of a _god_ with impossibly straight, flowing dark hair, powerful dark eyes; nude… yet brandishing a sword. Allen would have liked to have called these nightmares, but for the fact he found himself waking more than once to some hard circumstances and one decidedly sticky situation.


	3. Chapter 3

In the morning, Walker rose early in an immense rush to get to the shower. Kanda suspected he found this more amusing than he probably should have, but it was time for his morning meditation, so mockery of Moyashi would have to wait. Unfortunately however, he returned far faster than expected, wearing only a towel…

"Ugh, the shower is packed all of a sudden! I'm washed up, but I'll change in here, if you don't mind."

Kanda did mind, but he saw no reason to answer. Especially since that Baka-Moyashi would most likely do whatever he wanted, regardless of what he had to say about it. He reimmersed himself in his meditation, but it wasn't long before he felt a pair of distracting eyes upon him. Walker was sitting on the edge of the top bunk, legs dangling, brushing that lustrous white hair of his… and staring with rapt attention.

" _What?"_ Kanda snapped.

"Oh nothing."

"Why are you gaping at me?" _And with_ that _kind of expression on your face…_

"I'm not _gaping_." Kanda's eyes narrowed.

"You're looking at me." _And it's distracting as hell._

"Room's rather bare, isn't it? Nothing else to look at…"

"If you're bored, go eat one of your ridiculous breakfasts or take a walk or _something_."

"I don't enjoy going for strolls _alone_ , unfortunately. The girls'll be busy, and I don't even have _Tim_ for company on this trip. Also I've been told my _ridiculous_ breakfast arrangements will take a little more time than everyone else's. Regular breakfasts haven't even started yet anyway. _Somebody's_ not up to par on his mission briefings!"

Kanda sighed, choosing to ignore the little jab (and dorky grin accompanying it). "You've nothing to read?"

"Not in the mood."

"But you're in the mood to _gawk_ at me?"

"Not gawking. Do you enjoy it?"

"What?"

"Meditation. Is it really relaxing?"

"Not while _you're_ here. Why are you so curious, all of a sudden?"

"Can I try it?"

"You're kidding."

"I'm not." The younger teen slipped smoothly down the ladder and sat slowly in front of Kanda. There was a strange new glint to those grey eyes of his. "Really, I'm not."

Kanda's eyes darted aside in annoyance. "Tch. Fine."

Walker really _wasn't_ kidding. He faithfully retrieved his blanket to form a makeshift _zafu_ to sit on. He followed each instruction as best he could and didn't crack any jokes. The only problem he seemed to have was in maintaining his posture— he was kind of unsteady; even _shaky_. Odd, considering how in-control Walker normally seemed to be, when it came to the motion of his body. He lacked discipline, needlessly wasting extra strength in combat. But Kanda knew the youth's every action was deliberated and balanced through the _flow_ and _fluidity_ of his movements.

Walker's wasteful, careless and clownish acrobatics weren't just that. Kanda had seen the light-footed, slim figure dashing forward, leaping and soundlessly descending from above— building unstoppable momentum, and emanating such determination and strength of will— it was frustratingly _poetic_ _…_ absurdly _graceful…_ like trapeze artistry.

Kanda fully expected Walker to get fed up and start complaining at every minute correction and criticism, but he never once did. Every time he found Walker's posture was off and pushed or pulled on his back or shoulders to straighten it, the youth's expression seemed to _soften_. "You're allowing yourself to be distracted again. Don't lose focus."

Gazing at Walker (once he _finally_ managed to concentrate for a while), Kanda found his neutral expression annoyingly _endearing_. He wanted to call the look on the boy's face 'dopey,' but he couldn't honestly bring himself to believe it. The only semi-appropriate word that came to mind seemed to be 'serene.'

In fact, if he was being _totally_ honest with himself, he'd have to admit that he'd always found that freakish white hair of Walker's _charming_. Especially the snowy lashes and brows like _…_ white silver. The curse scar over his left eye was weirdly… _appealing_. It also told a story Kanda knew very well; painful memory and great loss, proof of endurance and tenacity, a source of power; an emblem of inner strength. He pressed his palm to his chest at the shoulder— the tattooed skin beneath his sleeveless top.

_What— What am I thinking?_

Kanda was rescued from the unpleasant prospect of considering the _meaning_ of such thoughts when he observed a telltale change in Walker's breathing: _He's fallen asleep!_

Kanda watched Walker's head tilt slowly downward, shoulders hunching forward just slightly. Pushing invading thoughts of how _cute_ this looked back into the furthest recesses of his mind, Kanda took decisive action: In order to correct posture, he placed one hand beneath the napping boy's chin, and the other at his lower back. As he considered it important to remain calm during periods meant to quiet the mind, he didn't raise his voice; and applied only gentle pressure to straighten the posture as he spoke: " _Wake up,_ Walker…"

"Ah! K-Kanda!" He stuttered, startled. Kanda simply continued lifting from the chin and pressing upward into the back, to prompt Walker to straighten up— which he did with haste. Pink washed across his cheeks, and he bit at his bottom lip. Kanda enjoyed making Walker squirm a little, and watching his reactions. The widening grey eyes, the slight trembling, the guilty pleading of drawn-in eyebrows.

The elder Exorcist grinned cruelly. "You're blushing, Moyashi."

Those silvery eyebrows now arched upwards. Snowy lashes fluttered in surprise. "Am I not... _straight_ enough?"

" _Wh-what?"_ Kanda's eyes widened in surprise.

"Umm… Your hands…?" A half-smile perked up a corner of Walker's lips. There was even a hint of amusement in his voice.

_I forgot to withdraw my hands?_

Sure enough, Kanda was still touching Walker's jawline with one hand, and the other had slipped away from the centre only to rest at the small of his back. He flushed ever-so-slightly, so shocked at his own negligence his hands still remained frozen in place. Now they were both blushing, and looking into each other's eyes. The younger Exorcist drew in a shaky breath—

_Knock knock knock!_

" _Allen? Uh…Kanda?"_

Relief replaced the trepidation coursing throughout Kanda's body as Walker looked away to answer the door. He could feel his blood pressure and body temperature plummeting back to normal. Walker answered: "Lenalee! Hang on, I'll—"

"No, no, it's okay. I'll just speak through the door. Miranda and I requested later mealtimes for today in order to uh… _prepare_. You can go any time after 7:00 now instead of waiting— Oh, but you're welcome join us at 8:00 too of course!"

"Great, I'm starving already! Thanks Lenalee. And by the way, sorry about the—"

"Don't worry. Actually, I feel bad for yelling at you through the wall like that last night."

Kanda rolled his eyes. _So now she shouts through the door instead?_

"You must have been really startled. I… forgot how cranky I can get after travelling non-stop for so long," she chuckled nervously. "Sorry 'bout that!"

" _Tch."_ Kanda went about completing his morning rituals wishing fervently for the inane banter at the door to culminate in the opportunity for him to eat breakfast alone.

It didn't.


	4. Chapter 4

It was going to be a _very_ long day. Not that it mattered all that much, but that morning, all the others seemed a little bit… _off_. Lee was somehow even perkier than usual, Lotto was gloomier, and Kanda kept catching that idiot Walker glancing his way.

"It's in _this_ part of the forest where it happens," the Finder gestured, pushing his round metal-rimmed glasses up his nose and pointing to the clearing in the woods they were approaching, where sun broke through an opening atop the trees to douse a grassy field of flowers in its light. "We've searched the entire area within a one kilometre radius— even the treetops— but there weren't any clues at all as to the location of Innocence."

"Tch!" _Useless Finders_.

"Wow, everyone worked really hard, didn't they!" Lee encouraged, looking to Walker.

"Must've been disappointing for you, Raphael," Walker empathized. "But don't worry, we'll find whatever's causing this."

"The only option we had left was to excavate. But as you can see, this is a popular travel spot. The village derives much of its livelihood from the young couples that flock here from across this and neighbouring countries. They'd never allow us to do it."

Kanda noted with distaste the presence of a few couples scattered throughout the clearing— picnicking, collecting flowers, and just basking in the sun.

"The legend goes that fortunate couples resting amongst the flowers will be _blessed_ with great fertility and virility when a 'red rain' falls here."

"It'd be such a shame for the Order to destroy a romantic place like this. Don't you think so, Miranda?" Lee chirped. Lotto nodded gravely. Lee peeked over her shoulder at Walker. Again. She'd actually been tossing glances at him all morning—

Kanda closed his eyes for a moment and focused on the mission: "Have any of you Finders witnessed this 'red rain,' yourselves?"

"No such luck. But we have eyewitness accounts from area residents and travellers. They're fairly consistent. We've also been alerted to the fact a greater variety of flowers grows here than anywhere else in the forest, and all have appeared naturally."

 _Ridiculous_. "They weren't planted by locals to draw in more business?"

"These wildflowers all grow in the _region_ , but most shouldn't thrive in this forest environment. So we sent samples from here and other sites— within the forest and without— to Order HQ for testing. Before you arrived yesterday, we were notified of the results. As expected, only flowers native to the forest— and a small minority of hybrids —were capable of growing in the same conditions as in this clearing, yet soil here tests essentially identical to that of the rest of the forest. It seems the effect is removed once the soil leaves this place. Oh— and bees here are normal species for the region."

"How _often_ … does 'red rain' fall?" Walker had leaned himself up against a large tree rather casually; one leg bent against the trunk, left arm bent behind his head.

"Two to four times a month, depending. For some reason, it rarely occurs with less than four couples here— and no matter how many are present, they say it won't happen at all if someone arrives alone. Unfortunately, we have a shortage of Finders here— especially… uh… _women."_ The young man blushed. "So it was difficult for us to uhh… _stimulate_ these events to happen… on our own."

Kanda caught Walker smirking to himself. Walker detected his gaze and grinned back conspiratorially. Kanda scowled back.

"We could only arrange to send a Finder 'couple' on days when too few couples appeared overall. It's difficult to convince locals to join us, unfortunately. They're ummm… they're sort of afraid of having unwanted children? So _we_ haven't had any success but we're optimistic that _you'll_ all get lucky."

Kanda rolled his eyes at the Finder's unfortunate choice of words. Lee was excitedly whispering something to Miranda, who blushed, hand over mouth. Walker was biting his lip hard— clearly holding back laughter.

"Right, well _we'll_ add to the couple count!" Lee sang with glee. Wearing a puckish smirk, she ran to Walker's side and yanked on his lax right arm to link in hers. Kanda snorted in amusement as a startled Walker stumbled onto both feet, nearly falling sideways away from the tree and toward Lee. "I'll go with Allen! Miranda, join Kanda."

Walker finally exploded with laughter, slapping a hand to his forehead at what he evidently perceived to be the genius of it all: "Kanda and Miranda! That's so perfect. Sorry Miranda, it's just that you're so sweet, and he's so… _Kanda_ … and I mean… it even _rhymes!"_

Kanda's lip curled as he turned a murderous glare upon Walker. Slowly drawing Mugen, he quietly murmured: "Do you want to _die_ , Moyashi?"

Walker wiped a tear from one eye as he recomposed himself. He grinned at Kanda and took confident steps away from the tree, his arm sliding out of Lee's without a thought. There was a palpable intensity between them as he approached, stopping just inside Kanda's personal space; a subtle challenge in those silvery grey eyes; a barely perceptible quickening of breath just before he spoke: "Just try me."

Kanda felt a rush at that; a thrill of anticipation; an itch to _fight_. "Any time."

But first came the mission.


	5. Chapter 5

"So I'm thinking of growing my hair out again," Lenalee confided with an expectant smile. Slender fingers combed upward through short, soft curls over her ear, then smoothed them back down, all in one swipe of the hand.

"Yeah?" Allen had vaguely noted Lenalee's flirty gestures, and was sure to smile appreciatively from time to time, himself. "How long?"

The two of them were seated at the roots of the same tree Allen had gravitated toward that morning, and had just polished off their light, eight-basket picnic lunch. Kanda and Miranda were roughly twenty metres away at the opposite edge of the oblong, tennis court-sized clearing. As the day wore on, the earlier healthy number of couples had dwindled, oddly enough. Perhaps it was the last day of their stay in the village? But for now, only one other pair— a blond woman and a blond man, appearing early to mid-thirties— still sat hand in hand, eyes closed, whispering a song or prayer.

It was incredibly ludicrous to Allen, pretending to be dating one of his fellow Exorcists. He wasn't even certain that any of his colleagues actually _believed_ putting on a 'couples act' would satisfy the conditions for the mysterious 'red rain' to fall. He could tell Kanda certainly didn't, judging by the sour expression on his face as he glared past Miranda toward him and Lenalee. Allen half-suspected that Kanda was seeking ammunition for later. _Either that or Komui gave him a side job making sure I don't get to first base with Lenalee._ Something about that half-serious thought tickled Allen so much that he was forced to stifle a laugh, hand flying to his mouth.

"Allen, are you alright?"

"I'm sorry, I just caught Kanda making the _funniest_ face. It was kind of… _distracting,_ " he lied with the perfect embarrassed, apologetic smile.

An ever-present tool in Allen's repertoire was the fact that even those closest to him often took him to be just as sweet and innocent as his Master _isn't_. In fact he was a skilled liar— acting came natural after his years of honing the hapless sucker's poker face with which to lure his victims at cards.

Lenalee, on the other hand, was more or less as sweet as she appeared. Well, there were her recent moves to keep Allen's Master from absconding again (much to Asian Branch Head Bak's chagrin), but she was still fairly innocent all the same, Allen thought. She seemed to be enjoying this mission a little bit _too_ much, but they'd always gotten along well together, so he supposed it was to be expected. If it were _Kanda_ acting like this, it would be an entirely different story.

_If I were with Kanda now, he'd probably somehow find an even grumpier expression to wear than that one right now with poor Miranda._

_Wait— what?_

_Why would_ I _be with Kanda? Hah! Ridiculous!_

Miranda was trying her best, as always. She smiled often, looking away to the ground now and then like a bashful school girl… did she even _blush_ just now? Kanda rolled his eyes, then immediately allowed his disinterested gaze to drift left and right, as if

examining some of the trees lining the wildflower patch. He scratched irritably at his wrist under the wildflower and grass bracelet Miranda had woven him before resting his chin in the palm of one hand in boredom.

The four Exorcists were all to wear plain clothes for the duration of their time in the mission locale (all golems were _off_ — only to be turned on in case of emergency— forcing Allen to leave Timcanpy back at the European branch). Somehow Lenalee took the dress code as a cue to wear a skirt even _shorter_ than the ones specially made for her uniform. Miranda dressed less prim than when Allen first met her, but still less daring than any of the young village women her age. Kanda apparently deemed this a good time to wear training clothes. He could more or less get away with this considering he was quite visibly carrying Mugen, but _still_ , the naked arms and shoulders, the thin material revealing hints of toned musculature below—

Images of a fresh-showered Kanda rose to the surface of Allen's mind. He forced them back down, dabbing at the sweat on his forehead with the handkerchief he quite sensibly chose to carry with him for a _hot_ day like this. It seemed his pulsed jumped with the effort.

 _It's true,_ Allen decided. Sporting simple but well-tailored traveller's clothes, he was convinced he must be the only one who might actually _blend in_.

"I haven't run it by anyone else yet. _Especially_ my brother…" a blissfully oblivious Lenalee continued, rolling her eyes as she mentioned Komui. "But do you think maybe I can get it even longer now?"

"Of course!" Allen enthusiastically assured. He scanned the small clearing. Still just two pairs of Exorcists and that _other_ couple, now lying on the grass and pointing up at the clouds. Kanda sat cross-legged before Miranda, resting his chin in one hand in obvious boredom while she chattered on in an animated fashion, still as rosy-cheeked as earlier.

"Longer, and— d'you think it'd look good down, or should I go with a single ponytail?"

"Like Kanda's?" Allen saw that proud mane of inky black oscillating across the agile swordsman's back from one shoulder to the daydream slowed down to render every detail of refined movement into razor-sharp focus…

_A deep, seductive voice murmurs Mugen's invocation as two fingers stroke the full length of the glowing blade. Thick sheets of black silk bounce and billow against Yuu Kanda's back as he charges into battle. Every shining strand flows in concert with the others, tracing the path of his swordplay as if underwater. Those lush black ribbons of hair rush violently behind and beside him, but never obscure his vision, and never hide the intense expressions on his face as he—_

_Whoa, wait, why am I— ?_

"I suppose, but… _different_ …" Lenalee clearly sensed his mind was wandering this time. She rested her chin on her hand, bit playfully at her lower lip, and leaned forward: "Hey. Something on your mind?"

The coquettish tone, the gleam in her eyes… _Lenalee thinks I'm fantasizing about her, but— Wait a minute, why_ wasn't _I fantasizing about her?_

Allen swallowed hard. He needed to buy some time to think. "Hey Lenalee,"

"Yes?" Allen found her regarding him with a casual wantonness, her glossy lips constantly curved into a subtly seductive smile. He unconsciously shrank away.

"You don't think maybe Miranda… actually _fancies_ Kanda or something?"

Silence.

Once Allen's words had finally registered, Lenalee exploded quite loudly with mirth and looked at him with harmless, wholesome eyes again. He stifled a sigh of relief even despite feeling four sets of eyes on them due to her unexpected outburst of laughter. "I guess it looks like it, huh?"

"Really? I— somehow I don't see him exactly as her umm… type…"

Lenalee's eyebrows darted upwards. "Wait, you're not being _serious_ are you?"

"No— well— umm.. err.. yes, maybe a _little?"_ He sputtered. "She's been blushing and giggling and acting _awfully_ cheerful, all of a sudden. She was just so _gloomy_ this morning and now she's flipped a whole 180 degrees and—"

"Allen, listen to me." Lenalee's voice resembled that of a patient mother calming her hyperactive child. "There _is_ someone she likes… but it isn't Kanda! … _Kanda?"_

And she promptly lost herself to another fit of giggles.

Just then, a slightly short of breath Miranda appeared. In the direction from which she sprinted, Allen spied a tall, lithe form dashing out of the clearing; a smooth rope of dark hair swinging across his back as he turned and disappeared behind a tree. "Kanda heard something. He said he'll check it out on his own and that we should all stay here."

Allen felt a sudden jolt of anger. "The _hell_ I will! There aren't enough 'couples' here now! You two wait here, I'll go drag that idiot back."


	6. Chapter 6

He was certain he'd heard it. Finally, after all this time. The voice of the one he'd been searching for. Kanda didn't know why she'd be _here_. But if he found her, the Order could go to hell for all he cared. He would be done with them. In fact, as far as he was concerned, the Order could go to hell _either way_.

Kanda had started off in the direction of the voice, but soon it faded into the atmospheric sounds of twittering birds and running water. At this point, he was following what he could only call a "presence." A vague sense that someone was just ahead, watching and waiting for him. He could neither see nor hear it, but the _presence_ was as real as the sky above and the ground below.

 _Close— very close._ Kanda leapt the narrow stream at the bottom of a deep but wide and gradual depression in the land. The declivity continued in both directions, well beyond the peripheries of his vision, cradling a creek that doubtless fed into the forest lake. As Kanda crested the upslope on the other side, he heard footsteps behind him. He didn't need to turn around in order to know whose they were.

"Kanda!" Walker was standing atop the opposite bank.

"This doesn't concern you," Kanda snarled back over his shoulder, livid.

" _Doesn't… concern me?"_ Walker too was quite furious. "We're on a _mission,_ Kanda!"

"So go on back to picnic-time in the flower garden with your _girlfriend_ , Moyashi." Kanda hiked onward, ignoring whatever pathetic attempt at an angry face Walker was undoubtedly making.

"It's _ALLEN!_ You already _know_ we're short on couples, Kanda. _There's no point without you there!"_ Walker was closing the gap. "What the fuck is wrong with you, anyway? You're usually _obsessed_ with completing a mission."

Kanda could see a small wooden structure ahead. It was too modest to be a dwelling but also too far from anyplace else to be a shed. There was an opening on the left side and it looked like someone was standing there… a woman… could it be—?

He broke into a sprint. Nothing else mattered now. If it was _her_ , then even Walker wouldn't be able to ruin this moment.

" _I'm gonna drag you back to that clearing if I—"_ he stopped abruptly; _"—KANDA!"_

It was her. It _had_ to be her. She was _right there_ , smiling at him. Time was slowing down to a crawl. He could still hear footfalls trampling the grass behind him, but all else faded into oblivion as he approached the female figure close ahead. She stepped forward and raised her arms, pale hair riding on the wind. It was her. It was _really_ her— and she was smiling.

_Finally… I've finally found you—_

" _Kanda! Akuma!"_

Time sped up again. All of Kanda's senses returned all at once. The impact of being tackled to the ground; Walker forcefully rolling him away as the wooden structure noisily burst apart; a musty scent enveloping the two Exorcists as wood shrapnel sprayed out around them. Beyond the clouds of dust and heat, Kanda spotted two shadows: the cause of the breach in what should have been a scene of tranquility.

" _Humans!"_ A Level 2 shouted with glee, and proceeded to take a swipe at them.

"Crown Clown!" Walker sent out his left arm to deflect the attack.

" _Exorcists!"_ The other Level 2 observed with dismay. The first Akuma backed away a short distance, as if to appraise the two Exorcists before attacking again.

Kanda broke away from the strong hold of Walker's right arm and made for the closer of the two Akuma, wordlessly invoking Mugen as he charged forward.

"Exorcist," the first Level 2 addressed him with disgust. "Where is the Innocence?"

Not in the mood for conversation, Kanda made short work of his target.

"Pitiful Akuma, may your soul find rest." Walker efficiently cut down his mark.

Kanda immediately returned to the splintered remains of the wooden structure. It was plain to see now that it was the shelter for an old well. The well itself was in fine condition, if old and a little mossy. Much of the structure around it was still standing. Only two large sections, one at and one near the top had been ruptured. But there was not a hint of the woman he had been seeking. Not inside, not out amidst the flinders and settling dust, and thankfully not down the well, either. The sunlight peeking through made that perfectly clear. Only some vibrant green leaves and purple and red flower petals were catching that light, floating atop the small puddles at the bottom. _Odd._

There was no one in the woods around them, either. Kanda could no longer even sense the presence he was so sure he had, before. _A hallucination? No. She was there—_

"Kanda…" Walker approached from behind, shards of wood crackling beneath his feet. Loose bits of straw tumbled down from a bird's nest under the damaged wood ceiling above, some strips settling in to mar the unearthly purity of his silver-white hair with mundane, earthy tones of flax, wheat, and barley. "What the hell—"

"Save it," Kanda scowled and looked away, impatient. "They were just Level 2s."

"I know, the Earl must be _really_ hard up these days," Walker remarked with sarcasm. "But it's not like you to—"

"You… didn't see her, did you?" It was more a declaration of disappointment than a question.

Walker paused a moment, then shook his head sadly as if in understanding, the dangling grain-coloured straw swaying, but not falling from his hair. Kanda was at a loss. His stomach was churning and twisting unpleasantly, a bad taste in his mouth. He felt helpless; powerless. _It was definitely_ her _… She was_ here _…_

"What happened? What did you see? Does it have to do with—"

" _It doesn't matter!"_ Kanda snapped, immediately shocked by his own outburst of anger. His heart pounded heavily in his chest.

"You know what, Kanda? If it means you're going to go running off in the middle of a _mission_ and nearly get yourself _killed_ , then sorry, but it DOES matter!"

"Don't treat me like a goddamn child!"

" _Don't goddamn_ ACT _like one!"_ Now it was Walker who appeared visibly shaken by his own rage. Kanda didn't know why, but the young Exorcist before him was definitely on edge. They _both_ were, and in a way that couldn't be glossed over as their _usual_ bickering, or even leftover adrenaline from the Akuma attack. Walker closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling loudly, then took a hesitant step closer and looked Kanda directly in the eye. When he spoke again, his voice was unusually gentle: "It… doesn't suit you. Kanda."

They stood face to face, eyes fixed on each other. Then Walker looked down and swiped a hand through his silvery white hair, as if unsure just _what_ to do next. Kanda felt an irrepressible urge to remove the bits of straw that Walker's fingers had just missed.

Walker's breath hitched as he reached out to do exactly that.

Kanda's hand lingered as he drew scattered debris out of Walker's hair in one gradual swipe. He watched Walker close his eyes as that deliberate hand combed through the tumble of white hair framing the left side of his face. Just a few hours from now on the day before, Kanda had slammed Walker up against the exterior of the inn. Just remembering that moment was sending his heart rate up again. Walker too seemed flushed.

"Kanda…" A pale hand flew up to Kanda's tanned left cheek, surprised pure grey eyes saying what Kanda had been fighting so hard to _avoid_ saying— struggling even to avoid _wanting_ to say— and for such a long time. Something he'd known since they completed their first mission together, an eternity ago. But it was becoming harder to deny himself when Walker was eyeing him in the manner he was now.

Finally, Walker leaned in, gently pressed his lips to Kanda's, and backed slowly away, pulling and sucking on Kanda's lower lip as he went until it slipped free with a soft _smack_. Kanda went rigid in shock at that sudden move. Heart stuttering, the desire that brief moment had sparked began to consume him. A powerful electric current lit up every millimetre of his body, burning through the frayed remains of his self-insulation.

"Fuck, I didn't mean to— I mean, I never realized." Walker babbled in breathless wonder: "Just… how much I _want_ you. Kanda. But I think… I think maybe I _always_ …"

"Shut. _Up."_ Hearing Walker say such things had more of an effect on Kanda than he'd ever like to admit. _"Fuck…_ This is why I _hate_ you!"

He grabbed Walker's shirtfront as he had the previous evening but this time jerked him forward to guide their lips back together. This action earned a contented whimper from Walker who, now emboldened, began to push eager fingers into the roots of Kanda's hair. Those fingers felt _damn_ good. Kanda allowed a low rumble of pleasure to rise from deep within and vibrate against Walker's lips…

Several moments passed before they began to draw apart again, each taking a chance to steal a few more rapid, hungry tastes of the other's lips. Finally they held each other at arm's length, both regulating their breathing.

Within the wrecked shelter of the old abandoned stone well, the two stood gazing at each other. The same warm, sweet-smelling breeze from the day before blew past, carrying away the must of splintered wood. Rays of afternoon sun shone into the space around them, illuminating passing particles of airborne dust. Bent and interwoven jags of the wooden ruin cast bizarre shadows that resembled some kind of ancient pictographic language. Aside from the rustling of grass and trees, and the flutter of feathered wings below the remains of the roof above, all was silent.

"Wait, wait. _Holy fuck!_ Wait a minute…" Walker suddenly pulled away, touching fingertips to his temples as if to summon back saner, more rational thoughts. There was a definite surplus of emotion to his voice— in his _eyes_. "We're—"

_On a mission here._

"Yeah," Kanda agreed.

"We should—"

"Yeah, let's go back."

_But later on—_

"Kanda," Walker asked, eyebrows knit; "Who did you see?"

Kanda's eyes widened at the unexpected question. He looked away, surveying the forest around them, and then down at the ground as he spoke; "Someone from my past… from another life, really… but I have to find her."

"What will you do when you do find her?"

"I… don't know."

A bright red bird sang mournfully above them, flapped its wings, and took flight. They watched it drop through the jagged breach in the shelter wall and glide away in the direction from which they came, wings stretched out to steady its flight.

"Let's go." Walker had already started back through the trees, and spoke without stopping or turning to face Kanda. His tone was flat, its normally spirited timbre nowhere to be found.

Kanda followed behind the younger Exorcist in silence. Walker didn't look back once.


	7. Chapter 7

"It's the strangest thing, it really is," Lenalee enthused. As she spoke, some 'red rain' fell into her mouth. It was sweet, like some type of nectar. She closed her eyes and inhaled the light fragrance on the air resembling fresh cut flowers. Somehow, it seemed to make her feel lighter, more energetic, but also… restless. "Mmm! Have you tasted it yet, Allen? It's umm… it's good."

Oh well played, Lenalee! Way to wow him with your charm.

"Oh." He replied absently. "Really?"

She watched a weirdly subdued Allen open his mouth and tilt his head back, normally bright (but currently dull) grey eyes shut, and felt her cheeks flushing red at just the sight. His hair had already begun to look damp from the few minutes' rainfall, and hung back heavily from his head, some of the drenched locks hugging the nape of his neck. Pinkish-red beads of the transparent fluid— falling, it seemed, from the sky— clung to his scalp and perched on strands of damp and softly muted silver-white. Some turned into streaks of pale colour against his (even paler) complexion. But that colour rapidly disappeared, as if the reddish pigment in the tracks of water trickling tear-like along his nose, and tracing the outer rim of his ear was absorbing into Allen's very skin.

The phenomenon made little sense to her, but Lenalee thought it was very beautiful all the same. She became so entranced with watching Allen, she almost failed to notice the same occurrence upon her uncovered legs. Even Kanda, who had stood facing three-quarters away from the others for some time now (What's he so grumpy about?), was eyeing the bare skin of his own crossed arms from the edge of their loose, semicircle-shaped huddle. It occurred now to Lenalee that their Finder had dutifully gone ahead and gotten a head-start on collecting the rainwater samples the Exorcists were specifically sent to retrieve (and not just frolic in) along with the Innocence, if found.

He really is an earnest one, that guy.

Allen closed his mouth in a gradual, almost mechanical motion and brought his head back forward. His measured movements and lack of spirit somehow reminded Lenalee of a clockwork doll: visually and functionally flawless, but wound up with just a bare titch too little energy. His mouth curved into a small, sad smile. "Yeah… it's nice, Lenalee."

He's still not even looking at me— at anyone, really… Kanda's been acting more surly than usual too. What on earth happened between the two of them out there? Kanda Yuu! You're getting a piece of my mind if you've done something to upset Allen—

"Isn't it, though, Miss Lenalee, Master Wa— I mean Allen— ?" Raphael was really struggling to drop titles and honorifics when addressing Allen. He seemed to be following Finder protocol to the letter, but the cheerful Allen of earlier in the day would have none of it. The present Allen, on the other hand, was off in a faraway land, completely unconcerned with tasting raindrops or abandoning formalities.

Poor oblivious Raphael simply hadn't noticed. She smiled at the Finder to acknowledge his words of agreement. He's being quite adorable, really.

Lenalee watched Allen nod slowly in reply, eyelids lowered as if inspecting the ground around them. She could tell his eyes were unfocused, even as he spoke: "Yeah."

Raphael forged ahead in the conversation: "If we're going to end up dripping wet, it's nice to at least be able to enjoy the taste of it."

Wow… He really does spew this kinda stuff without realizing it… she marvelled, eyebrows raised in amusement.

It's kind of cute actually, how uncommonly… innocent… this Finder is. Oh that's right— earlier today, Allen was fighting off the giggles at these kinds of lines from Raphael. Now he's miles away. What happened, Allen? Kanda?

"So you're positive no one's seen it happen before?" Miranda asked. Lenalee stepped in beside her as she interviewed the young couple.

"Yes, it is so. Georg and I are visiting here for months now and—"

"Shh, Ilinca!" The man with the severely-cut blond hair and dark brown eyes shushed his wife, a deep red flush spreading over his angular features. Calming himself, he gestured to her to kneel down beside him. "Let us pray." He looked up at the others: "Excuse us. Please."

Miranda mumbled unnecessary apologies and they all left the pair to their ongoing prayers.

Georg and Ilinca, the praying and sky-gazing couple, had said they were certain that in all the red rains they'd witnessed, there had never been an unpaired single individual present; only couples. Yet oddly, it was the very instant Raphael the Finder had set foot in the clearing to check up on everyone that the red rain began to fall.

Lenalee activated her Dark Boots. With her particular ability, she was well-suited to see whether this rain was coming from the clouds or from some other source. She spotted Allen looking up into the sky again, soft rosy droplets splashing against his cheeks as he scanned the open space between the tops of the trees. But from the ground it was impossible to see where that water was coming from. The sky above was simply dyed red. She skated over to Allen's side. "Need a lift?"

"Ah, thanks Lenalee, but I have Clown Belt. Umm… Kanda's good too, I see," he replied unevenly. They watched the young swordsman sail effortlessly upward from branch to branch into the treetops.

Is Allen… blushing? No, it must be the rainwater…

Allen's silver-grey eyes skipped to Miranda and Raphael, who were sitting in the grass together, having an animated discussion. Naturally, Lenalee's eyes followed. She noted the young man's cheeks filling with colour when her eyes met his, and he hastily shifted his own sweet, honey-brown eyes away, adjusting his glasses at the same time.

Now that blush is definitely not just the rain…

"Miranda's staying on the ground…" She watched Allen's profile as he spoke; he was back to watching Kanda's silhouette. "So instead how about you take Rapha—?"

"Allen, what—" Lenalee tilted her head to the side in confusion for a second, before realizing why Allen had failed to voice the last syllable of their Finder's name. He paled rapidly, eyes going wide as the left one changed—

"Akuma! Loads of them, coming from above! Miranda, take care of things down here?" A determined-looking Miranda gave a quick, vigorous nod toward Allen and activated Time Record to cover the entire clearing. She and Raphael would be able to ensure a safe haven for Georg and Ilinca as well as any other bystanders that might wander in from below. "Lenalee, let's go. Kanda's alone up there!"

"Hold on tight." Lenalee couldn't miss the look of horror on Allen's face, and especially the almost shrill tone of his voice. Why's he so worried? Kanda can handle himself…

"Be careful, Miss Lenalee!" Raphael called out.

What a sweetheart, worrying about us like that…

She shot a quick smile at the Finder (who blushed again) and zipped skyward in an instant, with Allen in tow, hanging on her right arm. It seemed almost a quarter of the forest was being blanketed in a wave of Akuma. A pair of what looked like Level 3s was visible in the distance— beyond where Kanda was already fighting. Now they were going to be a pain to deal with, but for whatever reason, they seemed content to watch, for now. The most pressing concern for now was the leagues of Level 1s surrounding them and the fact Kanda was occupied with a good dozen Level 2s.

By now, the three knew each other's strengths well enough that they didn't need to communicate what had to be done. With her unmatched speed, Lenalee's role was to first take out all the Level 1s as quickly as possible before assisting the boys, who would divvy up the Level 2s. Multiple Level 3s, however, could require more effort.

Depends on whether they have a plan. They're cunning enough to come up with a scheme to trick or distract us…

While effortlessly destroying dozens of Level 1s with blinding swiftness, Lenalee was able to observe that Kanda had gotten rid of a few Level 2s as Allen arrived by way of the treetops, across which he propelled himself using Clown Belt. She saw Allen immediately dispatch one of them, before becoming embroiled in her own high-level battle.

Lenalee exterminated the army of Level 1s in a flash and was about to go join the boys when a third Level 3 took a shot from behind her. Something pink just grazed the top of her ear, and a rough gust of wind ruffled her short curls in its wake. In that brief gust of air, Lenalee felt a cold sting, and something hot trickling into her ear— blood from a small cut. She felt a sudden wave of dizziness and nausea coming on and for a moment, it felt like rain was pounding against her skin from all sides. She brought a hand to her temple in an attempt to focus. The Akuma seemed to have split into three. Yet just as quickly as the symptoms arrived, they passed and Lenalee was fine. What on earth was that?

"You weren't so lucky, Exorcist," the female Level 3 sneered, "to have run into me."

"Sorry, but that's my line, Akuma." Wave after wave of thorny rose-like projectiles were sent her way in a barrage of colours, some of them grazing her arms and legs, but Lenalee took the advantage thanks to experience and her new-and-improved Dark Boots. The Level 3 had tough defenses, however, and was gradually getting used to her speed…

In a second's glimpse, Lenalee established the boys were nearly done with their Level 2s but the earlier two Level 3s were getting close. I have to wrap this up fast and go help them! Just as things were starting to get dangerous, Lenalee was able to identify her target's two weak spots, and struck at them mercilessly until she was free.

The defeated Akuma huffed her final words in an outrage: "But my venom! You should be paralyzed… disoriented… why was there no effect, Exorcist? Why?"

Huh? Venom?

A loud blast boomed from where the others were fighting.

"KANDA!" Allen's voice was shrill, even cracking a little in unmasked terror. As soon as she whirled around to look, Lenalee was horrified to witness Allen throwing his sword— his Innocence!— his own arm!— at the last of two Level 2s in order to protect a Kanda who was now falling out of the sky. "Lenalee, be careful, he's—"

Before Allen could finish, Lenalee had already dove and caught a grumbling Kanda. "I can still fight. I don't need your help."

Uncertain what to do, she froze in midair to witness the look of mixed concern and relief on Allen's face as he descended to intercept his falling sword and swung in just beside her. "Allen, what—"

"Lenalee both of you need to get to Miranda NOW! Hurry!" and with that, he yo-yoed back upward into the sky to deal with the remaining Akuma— two Level 3s— alone.

She didn't understand why Allen was being so emphatic and what could possibly have happened to Kanda until she saw a pentacle form on Kanda's cheek. She hadn't noticed before because of the rain darkening their soaked clothing, but it seemed Kanda had been sprayed all over with pure Akuma oil… and she was touching it— in multiple places. Pentacles were spreading up her arms now… and out from her knee, where she was also in contact with the oil.

Allen was right— they needed to get to Miranda to buy some time for virus antidote to be administered. Feeling the pentacles spreading, she descended with Kanda in tow at a speed that would hopefully not be too uncomfortable for their ailing bodies. But just at the edge of Miranda's barrier, Lenalee froze. "What? Th-that's impossible!"

The pentacles that had rapidly spread across her and Kanda's bodies— were gone. "Kanda— what on earth? Wait, did you already know— ?"

Midnight blue eyes stared upward, where Allen fought alone. "Tch."


	8. Chapter 8

Allen carefully yawned into his hand when he thought no one was looking. In the periphery of his vision, Kanda rolled his eyes. But at least Allen _had_ been paying attention to the conversation throughout dinner as best he could.

It was confirmed when Miranda found no injury-containing 'time' to take from either Kanda or Lenalee that they were in perfect health. (In fact none of the three even had so much as a scratch on them.) At first, everyone was completely mystified— except Kanda, who didn't really care.

_('Tch. Just means you got a little help trying to keep up with me.'_

' _Keep_ up _with you?_ _The way I saw it, you took poor Lenalee_ down _.')_

It turned out one of the craftier Level 2s had a special sort of projectile attack that exploded into pure Akuma oil when parried. Being a Parasitic type, Allen hadn't noticed it himself, but Kanda was taken by surprise the first time he was sprayed. Before he could even consider retreat, he'd felt the Akuma virus pentacles miraculously disappearing on their own. It wasn't until he was becoming covered in the stuff that it took more than a few seconds for the virus to clear away again— and the oil itself disintegrated under the rain.

Parasitics have always been able to resist and purify Akuma Virus, but an Equipment Type and a Crystal Type? A ticked off Kanda and indignant Allen had argued about it, the entire way back to the hotel.

( _'Shut it, BaKanda! How was_ I _supposed to know?'_

' _You should've minded your own business, Moyashi.')_

'Simultaneous spontaneous self-purification' was the shaky first hypothesis, but Raphael and Lenalee were able to shoot it down when they considered the fact she'd apparently been _cut_ and _poisoned_ and yet no sign of either occurrence remained on her person. (A _'person'_ that young _Master_ Raphael seemed quite thrilled to examine, Allen was amused to note.)

The current belief was that the 'red rain' had played a part somehow, which would greatly increase the chances of Innocence being involved. Unfortunately, the instant Lenalee shot up into the sky to check again, the rain stopped and all was disappointingly peaceful again. Nothing existed above the treetops but blue skies, puffy clouds and a bird or two flying by. No signs of Innocence _anywhere_.

As Lenalee and Raphael continued their animated discussion on the topic of whether the red rain could be credited for their miraculous healing, Allen watched Kanda excuse himself from dinner. (Well, not so much _excuse_ himself as shove back his chair and proudly stalk away.)

Allen was now hellbent on confronting Kanda in _private_ , and he sure as hell wasn't going to wait patiently until after he returned from the shovelled several mouthfuls of steak down his throat at frightening speed, gulped copious amounts of water in a flash,and bolted after Kanda, pretending not to hear two alarmed voices calling after him.

As he was reaching for the doorknob to his and Kanda's room, Allen spied Miranda exiting the adjacent room. Of course, his own door was locked. Under his breath, he muttered to himself: "Kanda, you _bastard."_

"Oh! Allen… umm… may I ask if there's anyone still at the dinner table?" She offered her endearing brand of nervous, crooked smile.

"Well if you're _here_ , Miranda, I guess it's just Lenalee and Raphael—?"

"Oh. I see…" And she abruptly reentered the room she'd just left, closing the door softly. A bare split-second later, she was leaning back out against the doorjamb to add "Thanks, Allen!" and disappeared hastily into her room once again with a light _slam_.

"You're wel …come?" he stammered into the empty hall.

 _What was_ that _about?_

But that brief distraction was immediately forgotten when Allen heard stirrings inside the room. _He's still in there!_ He knocked loudly; " _Kanda!_ It's my room too so let me in already! _"_

"Sorry, Moyashi, my hands are full right now. The key's at the front desk, so you don't need to go to the shower room this time… unless you're actually going to _shower_ , of course."Kanda laughed.

"Whatever, BaKanda. Just let me in— I want to _talk_ to you. I'll get the key later."

"I'd rather not, Moyashi. Try waiting this time rather than indulging your voyeuristic tendencies, alright?" He teased.

"What the fuck, Kanda! I SAID I'll get the key _later_. Just let me in already!" There was no answer, but rustling sounds continued to come from the room. _So now he's_ ignoring _me?_

Maybe it was because he was feeling restless with pent-up energy, maybe it was just out of spite, maybe _both_ , but Allen didn't feel like obeying Kanda's instructions at all. Instead, he felt mutinous enough to play a small prank and with a little luck, maybe embarrass his haughty roommate a little.

Bypassing the two slightly panicked and somewhat frantic voices calling his name from the dinner table in view of the inn's entrance, Allen darted outside and circled around to the back of the building, intending to use Crown Clown to enter his and Kanda's room from the second floor window. The last thing he expected was to see Kanda jump out that very window and, travel sack in tow, dash away into the darkening forest.

Without a second's thought, Allen gave chase, instinctively staying quite a distance behind so as not to be noticed. Even still there were a couple of close calls when Kanda would draw Mugen and spin around suddenly, giving Allen barely enough time to still himself behind trees or bushes; quieting even his breathing so as not to make a sound.

Soon, they were back at the abandoned well from that afternoon.

 _What_ is _it about you and this place, Kanda?_

Allen watched Kanda slowly approach the well. A figure appeared, it seemed out of nowhere; semi-transparent and faintly luminescent. _A… spirit?_ She stood before Kanda at the entrance to the shelter for the well. A blond woman, in a white dress. _Is this the one he 'had to find?'_

Her voice sounded gentle and very faint as she began to speak. It was too hard to hear everything without revealing himself, but Allen strained enough to hear the odd word now and then. Words like _'love,'_ and _'forever;'_ keeping a _'promise.'_ Something to _'remember always,'_ and _'room in your heart.'_ Then, her voice strengthened: _"…Please_ , Yuu _. You've kept your promise! Just remember me a little now and then. That's all I want— so live, and find your happiness."_

The apparition seemed to kiss Kanda on the forehead before rising up and fading away. But as she faded away, Allen could have sworn she was staring _directly_ at him. Not at Kanda, but at _Allen_ , himself.

After she disappeared, Kanda remained in place for some time— thinking maybe, or observing a moment of silence… Then, after sighing quite loudly, he turned an intense glare toward Allen's general direction. Dark eyes closed in on their target quickly. Allen tensed up against the tree he'd been hiding behind. "Well? If you're done stalking me, you can come out now."

_Oh crap, he knew!_

A sheepish Allen stepped out from behind the tree trunk to which he'd been clinging. "K-Kanda, was that— ?"

"Yeah, it was _her._ " Kanda had already picked up his bag again and flung it over his shoulder, speaking with his back turned.

Allen sprinted over, sputtering and unsure just what to say. "Kanda, I'm sorry, I—"

"Still haven't taken my evening shower…" An unperturbed Kanda started walking to the northwest. But the hotel was to the south, and the flower-filled clearing to the east…

"Huh?" A very confused Allen followed behind. _Where is he going?_

Without stopping, Kanda looked back over his shoulder; "You might as well come too, Moyashi. I think you _need_ it."

"What?" Allen blinked.

"A _bath?"_ Kanda teased. "Or if you want to sleep in your own filth again, the room key's _still_ at the front desk…"

"What-EVER." Allen jogged up behind Kanda, who was just cresting a tall slope, adding: _"You're_ the one who sti—" And Allen was rendered suddenly breathless, gasping at what he could now see beyond the top of the hill.

"Come on."


	9. Chapter 9

Not too far ahead was a small inlet that swelled out and away from the lake nestled into forest's side. Its shore was a narrow but sandy beach with occasional outcroppings of smooth, flat rock like the rest of the lake, but it was almost entirely enclosed by the dense wood, and virtually invisible from a distance since its banks dipped below the ground. The section opening up into the the lake too was obscured with a small natural curtain of tall grasses and cattails.

Allen found himself breathless at the calm flow of crystal clear water from the same stream they had hopped over, earlier in the day. That stream, it turned out, was a small tributary that constantly carried fresh water into the lake. It was getting dark, and the setting sun tinted the landscape with a warm orange hue that reflected up at them from the water's surface. The rest of the lake glowed like fire beyond the thin veil of rushes and reeds.

Kanda set his bag down, and began to pull out some supplies. He thrust a towel and bar of soap at Allen. "Here, you'll need this— though it was _supposed_ to be for my hair," he added sourly.

Allen took them reflexively, but was at a loss as to what to do next. He flushed deeply, hoping desperately that the waning light would hide this.

"What's wrong, Moyashi?" Kanda teased, his back to Allen as he set up a lantern a short distance away from the water. "Forgot how to bathe?"

"Kanda..." he warned, irritated. _I can't get naked in front of you right now._

"Feeling _shy?_ You weren't so bashful where you were looking in the changing area yesterday though, were you _Moyashi?"_

 _That does it!_ An angry Allen hastily laid the towel across two low-hanging tree branches and set the soap on top of it.

"The name's _Allen!"_ And off went his cravat and vest, which he tossed down angrily. "Is it too _hard_ for you to say?" A shirt dropped on top of the vest without a thought. _"Al-len._ Allen! Easy!" Shoes and socks slipped off together. "Need me to spell it out?" He felt the soft, cooling grass chill his feet as he hung up his socks with the rest of the clothes near the towel. "Didn't have _you_ pegged as someone in need of remedial assistance with something so simple as a _name!"_ he mocked, finally kicking off his trousers and underpants together.

After performing what would have to be the most irate and unsexy strip of his life, Allen realized all at once that he felt quite… _exposed_. He would have loved to be as arrestingly confident in his nudity as Kanda was the day before, but he could never fully shake his anxiety about his deformed and discoloured left arm, and his cursed eye, combined. And though he didn't think it looked so bad on its own, the mess of white hair topping it all off made him feel even more like a freak show exhibit. As nonchalant as he could manage, Allen turned his back to Kanda, stepped past the grass, over wet sand, and finally waded chest-deep into the pond-like inlet. Luckily the water was quite warm, having absorbed the sun's rays all day. Unluckily, he'd forgotten something important…

"Need _this?"_ Kanda teased, waving the soap bar tauntingly in one hand as he approached the water's edge.

Allen _tried_ to concentrate on the bar of soap and clean, clean cleanly thoughts of getting _clean(!)_. Instead however, he got very stuck on the fact that Kanda had apparently removed his shirt while he wasn't looking, and was now stripping off his training pants… under which he'd of course… gone _commando_. It was no use now. Dirty, _filthy_ thoughts were pouring into Allen's head: Just how he'd like to caress that alluring tattoo on that beautifully chiselled chest, and dip fingers into that incredible river of silky black hair, which was now _loose,_ swaying softly back and forth as he walked, and the scent of him when they kissed only hours before and the feel of their bodies squeezed together and… _Oh fuck fuck fuck…_ Allen was getting hard.

Luckily, it so happened Kanda was reaching a similar state, his eyelids lowered in a seductive gaze as he strode casually into the water. "I think… I _like_ how you react when I call you _'Moyashi,'_ Moyashi. _"_

"B-Bakanda…" Allen breathed in awe, ravenous eyes running up and down the other's anatomy. After coaxing him back a little farther up the shore, Kanda soaped Allen up himself, slow and deliberate, painting patterns onto Allen's bare skin. He pressed firmly up the underside of Allen' hardening cock from base to tip before pumping a warm lather over the entire organ, rendering Allen quite incoherent. Head thrown back, a throaty moan escaped his lips. Kanda rinsed the young man from head to toe, kissing, licking, sucking, or biting at each body part cleared of bubbles and foam.

Now regaining himself a little, Allen kissed Kanda deeply while carefully reaching upward for the soap Kanda had laid on a nearby rock above them. He provided a similar frothy treatment from below and then above the swordsman's lithe, muscular frame, biting and sucking harder than Kanda had done. This was both to make certain he could spot the marks he'd made before they soon healed and disappeared, and because he was certain the Kanda he knew would enjoy the pain he himself would not. Naturally, that very Kanda _did_. His unexpectedly soft gasps and low, snarling purr attested to that with every scratch of nails or raking of teeth, arousing Allen still further.

If the young samurai's attentions were smooth, gradual, and ordered, the English gentleman's were erratic, fitful, and chaotic as he outright _attacked_ Kanda's body. Yet he was no less attentive or thorough, and he wasn't sloppy— there was method to his madness. As if to attest to this, Kanda arched back, letting out a rare howl of approval when Allen suddenly began lick at his freshly immaculate hardness.

Satisfied their bodies were adequately cleansed, Kanda set the soap back onto the same rock. He pulled a highly compliant Allen back down the sloped bank a bit, kneeling and straddling him upon the wet sand. Soon, his hand was beginning to stroke them both together, agonizingly slow, eliciting a cry of mingled pleasure and vexation from Allen.

" _Kanda…!"_ He cried, wrapping his arms around the man's neck to bring his lips closer. He barely managed not to buck hard into that tease of a hand or impatiently speed it up with his own.

Kanda's kiss was sultry and voracious with the raw, unmitigated _want_ of one who had denied himself far too long. Yet there was also tenderness and passion to his touch, sending shocks deep through Allen's core. Each contact communicated that it was _Allen_ alone that Kanda wanted. He moaned appreciatively… but it still wasn't _enough_.

"I— I need m-more… of you. Kanda," he implored, breathless. "In…side me. _Please_ …"

" _Allen…"_ He could easily have peaked prematurely right then, just from the look of ardour Kanda gave while using his actual _name_. But he ached to feel _more_ of the man above him, and wouldn't allow himself to come undone so easily. He watched Kanda carefully retrieve the bar of soap; muscles and eyes and wet hair glistening by the light of the lantern a short distance above.

Allen was very glad he'd spent so much time frequenting brothels in pursuit of his Master when he was younger. Courtesans, cocottes, rent-boys, and masseurs were a rapidly-growing fraction of the friendships he'd forged back then. And he learned a _lot_ from them.

In fact, as Allen's boyish visage started to become a little _too_ familiar a sight around the more upscale bawdy houses, Master Cross suggested he pretend to be two years younger, so as to evade cover charges just for his 'innocent presence' around the premises. Since it meant less debts for him to pay, Allen was all for it. Of course keeping that up meant as well that everyone in the Order thought he was sixteen when in fact he was actually _eighteen_ years of age; only one year Kanda's junior.

Even outside the bordellos and bagnios, Allen had both seen and done more than anyone at the Order might have ever come close to guessing. So he really shouldn't have had anything to be nervous about. But then… this was _Kanda!_

In a flash, firm hands soaped Allen's ass before before guiding his lower half back below the water to prepare him. Allen revelled in the thrill of initial penetration by exploring fingers arriving one after another, despite slight discomfort as they stretched him. He was pleased to see that even some of _Kanda's_ composure was leaving him now. Prussian blue eyes were glazed over with lust, muscled chest rising and falling rapidly with rough breaths, long hair floating along the surface of the water. Allen felt fortunate to be treated to this increasingly ardent side of the young samurai Exorcist, but patience was leaving him.

"Kanda…" he whispered hotly into his ear, "Please… _fuck me."_

Kanda exhaled a great gust of breath and gave a nod; amorous lips swiping against Allen's cheek to meet their counterparts in another intense kiss. He entered him fully in one grand thrust and both moaned at that fantastic friction. Kanda stilled himself with back arched, toned and gleaming chest curving forward slightly as if on display. To Allen, it was like viewing the erotic sculpture of an ancient god.

He melted and trembled as Kanda trailed the tip of his nose over and around his right ear to displace the soft hair behind it and then tenderly pressed his lips to that newly uncovered flesh. _Yes, yes, yes!_ Allen's emphatic thoughts screamed out in the seconds before rocking his hips upward to signal his readiness; _How did I miss that I wanted him like this?_

" _Ah! Kanda!"_ Allen let out small, muted cries with each initial, slow-paced push into him. Then Kanda began to arrange the flexible, acrobatic young man into a series of positions, each time gradually increasing the tempo. Allen surmised that these postures, rather than being inspired on the spur of the moment, were actually premeditated. _That BaKanda! He's wanted this for a long time, himself._

As they progressed through varied poses, strokes, grips, and fondling, and with ever-rising speed (and volume), Allen's entire wiry, but athletic form was shivering, tingling, electrified. About to reach his end, he focused on the swordsman's face; eyes squeezed shut and a healthy flush decorating his strong features; Breathing a low cry of desperation one moment, then _roaring_ in pleasure the next.

It was more erotic than Allen could bear.

"Ah—Ahhh! Kanda! Mmmm…" The deluge of sensations flooding into and within Allen soon brought him to an intensely feverish state, and he sank blissfully into the intoxicating waters of Lethe, with Kanda close behind, calling out his name.

They remained in each other's arms for a time, not bothering to speak or be separated… until they both heard an odd— yet _familiar_ — sound from just within the trees…

And it wasn't human.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** _So... here we are, folks. Chapter 10 & Epilogue all in one shot. Thanks very much for reading this far! For anyone wondering, I've decided against the _omake, _but only because I've an idea for a short sequel that might be fun to write later on. Now, on to the conclusion!_ **;)**

Miranda wasn't sure if she'd given them enough time alone yet, but _maybe_ it wouldn't hurt to check on how they were doing? When she stepped out of her room however, Allen was right at the door to his and Kanda's adjacent suite. "Oh!" _He would probably know something._ "Allen… umm… may I ask if there's anyone still at the dinner table?"

"Well if you're _here_ , Miranda, I guess it's just Lenalee and Raphael—"

"Oh. I see…" _No need to check up on them, then._

Even as she reentered her room, it occurred to Miranda that she hadn't thanked her kind young colleague. It wasn't more than a split-second before she hastily leaned back out against the doorjamb to add a cheery "Thanks, Allen!"

Embarrassed at her own awkwardness, she immediately disappeared into her room with a light _slam_.

"You're wel …come?" She just barely heard him stammer into the empty hall.

_Oh what will I do with myself now? There are the flowers I collected from this afternoon, I suppose. I could take some from the vase and make another bracelet… or maybe garlands for me and Lenalee to wear tomorrow. Yes, that might be nice…_

Trying her best to ignore the angry shouting between Allen in the hallway and Kanda in the neighbouring room (but still wincing a little), Miranda applied her craftswoman's sensibilities to sorting the variety of blooms and colours she and Lenalee had brought back from the teeming flower patches of the clearing that afternoon. (And it was a good thing Lenalee had offered to help on the way back, since Miranda dropped— and then lost or stepped on— about half of the burgeoning bouquets her own arms held.)

She laid the flowers out before her, and after several minutes of sorting, ordering, and sweeping up fragments of the vase she'd bought that day, Miranda came upon two winning coronet arrangements. However, much like her vase, the bright green stems were constantly slipping through her fingers. She wouldn't be able to weave a thing at this rate.

It seemed the room temperature hadn't started dropping as she'd hoped it would by this time, so she left the rings of flowers on her bed and went to open the window. _It's a miracle they aren't wilting…_

As Miranda struggled with the release to the casement window, the movements of two familiar figures caught her eye, causing her to focus her gaze outdoors. _Oh, what's this? Kanda running into the woods? …And Allen following behind him?_

This might be a mission-related activity or an Akuma-sighting, or something of the sort… but then why didn't someone notify her? And where was everyone else? Lenalee and Raphael, whom she'd last seen in the open tavern area near the front entrance to the Inn, must know something— they would have seen the two young men pass by, after all. _Then now's a good time to check on that pair…_

As she approached the stairway down from the end of the dull white-plaster hallway, Miranda's insecure mind dreamt up nightmare scenarios of everyone leaving her behind due to her incompetence— or how it must be too much of a downer to have her around. She had just barely managed to beat back her fears and anxieties when she was halfway down the stairway. It was then that she heard familiar voices from behind the closed door of the first room by the far stairway on the first floor:

" _Yes, Georg!"_ a woman shouted in a language and dialect that Miranda just so happened to understand— as she'd been moved around a lot while she was little— but that no one else in the hotel could likely follow, _"I want to know why! Because… because in four whole years' marriage we still haven't had a child!"_

" _Shhh, Ilinca!"_ and then Georg modulated to quieter tones: _"Someone might hear…"_

" _People have been asking questions…"_

" _Yes, I know, I also—"_ Georg tried to interject without success.

" _Mother wants to know why we haven't had a son to help mind the livestock…"_

" _Yes, at the market as well, they ask me—"_

" _And_ your _mother and sister— don't you think I've noticed… how they look at me? They think it's_ my _fault… and last week they were talking about me! They said that… that I'm—"_

Miranda's heart went out to Ilinca. Carried on that voice were the distinctive signs of tears wept in abject despair— misery the timid lady Exorcist knew very well.

" _Ilinca, that's enough, it's okay, we'll have a child! Very soon! I pro—"_

" _But it's_ you _who can only get it up when we come all the way out HERE!"_

Miranda nearly jumped and yelped in her shock at the heated outburst, but managed to remain still; one hand clutched over her rapidly pounding heart.

There was silence at Georg's end of the marital dispute, except Miranda thought she could hear the sound of him shushing Ilinca again. This time it wasn't to shut her up, but to offer comfort. She supposed the woman must be in his arms.

" _I don't understand it."_ Her voice shook with misery, shrinking in volume while rising in pitch: _"Is it me? Am I not… to your liking? Do I not… please you?"_

" _No, no, Ilinca, stop it. You know you're the only one who…"_ Miranda couldn't make out the rest. However, as she kept inching closer, absent and unawares, her ears picked up giggles, and Ilinca producing a surprised _'Whoop!'_ all of a sudden.

_Could they be making up?_ Miranda barely had time to complete that thought before a monstrous creak issued from within the room. Something substantially heavy had hit the bed— two people embracing. The two really were 'making up.'

_Oh my god!_ _I shouldn't have heard that— I shouldn't have heard that! Lucky no one's found me here!_ Cringing, she hastily jogged the entire L-shaped first floor hallway.

The hotel tavern area mostly lay tucked behind the grand front entrance stairway, but contained a sizeable section jutting out around it and nearer the front desk. It was in this area that Miranda was able to spot her team's dinner table… which was deserted.

_Oh no! So they really_ did _leave me behind?_

_RING… RING… RING…_

_A telephone? Oh! Raphael's Finder equipment!_

Rushing over to the table, she answered: "Hello, this is Miranda… ?"

" _Miranda?"_ A masculine voice responded with surprise. _"How wonderful to hear from you! It's Marie."_

"Marie!" She smiled broadly. "But why are you calling us?"

" _Komui asked me to get a status report from the new Finder,"_ he sighed, _"because his latest Komurin's going nuts again and he's the only one who can stop it of course. Exorcists are off the hook on this one, thankfully. But from what I can tell, the robot's on the fourth floor right now, and Komui's got the entire Science Department with him, searching for it on the_ first _—"_

He paused and waited politely for Miranda's brief giggle to pass. She wasn't certain, but she thought she might have heard a pleased sigh on the other end of the line. Her heart fluttered a little at that possibility; her smile brightened further.

" _But anyway, why are_ you _the one answering?"_ He sounded positively _delighted_ to be asking this question.

"Oh, well, um…" _I don't want to get Raphael in trouble on his first mission! But I can't lie to Marie… What should I say?_

" _Is young Raphael doing alright?"_

"Oh yes," Marie read her as well as usual. He was clearly giving her a chance to sidestep the earlier question. Even over the phone, he was attentive and considerate as always. After all, he knew that if something was genuinely wrong, Miranda wouldn't hesitate to report it. "He and Lenalee were having a very animated conversation at dinner— about the mission."

" _That's good. Anything to report yet?"_

Some patrons entered the restaurant for a late dinner, carrying on loudly. Miranda suddenly remembered she was in public… and supposed to be undercover.

"Can I call you back, Marie?" she whispered; "From my room? There are… other people here."

Of course he assented and so Miranda bounded up the stairs with unusual energy, especially considering the weight of the Finder's pack she was carrying. But when she'd locked the door, settled in and tried to dial the Order, she realized she'd forgotten one digit of the phone number.

_Oh no! How am I going to call him b—_

_RING… RING… R—_

"It's ringing again!" she announced to an empty room, grasping the receiver. "Marie?"

" _Hi. I hope you don't mind. I thought maybe I should call. It must be a long time since you've last called the Order. The number would be so easy to forget."_

"Yes, I was just trying to remember the last number…" she blushed. _He's so kind!_

" _It's four."_

"That's it. Thank you!" she beamed into the phone.

" _It's also hidden underneath every Finder's phone. So anything happening so far?"_

"Well, we've witnessed the red rain. We believe there's a high chance of Innocence being involved since the rainwater seems to have a powerful healing effect."

" _Oh really?"_

"Yes— it seems to have destroyed two Akuma virus infections, and erased cuts and bruises received in battle. Also, we suspect Lenalee was poisoned by an Akuma at one point, yet there are no signs of venom remaining in her system."

" _So there are even Akuma investigating the area. Yes, sounds like a high probability of Innocence being involved. Komui will be very pleased with the progress you've all made._ "

"Thank you!" Miranda wondered if Marie's super-perceptive hearing picked up on her face flushing again. "Also, I don't know if it's related and I haven't been able to share with the others yet, but this afternoon I heard a legend about an old stone well near the site where that rain falls. A couple we met there, who have been visiting the site for a long time, claim that although the locals won't talk about it easily, there's a well to the west of the flower patch where you can go to meet or see a past, present, or future lover. And if you're having bad luck in love, or trying to have children, you throw flowers or petals inside and pray for good luck."

" _Interesting!"_

"I'm sure it can't mean anything much, but I thought maybe it might be worth checking out tomorrow."

" _Oh? Will you be tossing some flowers in, yourself, then?"_ he teased gently.

Blushing yet again, Miranda laughed shyly, and changed the subject: "Umm… we talked about you today…"

" _Me?"_

"Kanda and I did, this afternoon. He only has good things to say about you, you know." _When he chooses to actually_ say _something, that is._ "I think he must respect you a lot."

" _Well I owe Kanda a lot, myself. I'm honoured if he thinks so highly of me…"_

"I think he does." _Though I did most of the talking. Oh no, I must have talked his ear off about Marie, and then he ran off into the woods! I'll have to apologize later…_

Without realizing it, the two stayed up quite late chatting with each other. Neither noticed the time ticking by as they waited for Lenalee and her brother, neither of whom actually returned until the next morning. And Miranda had long since forgotten about the two boys who had disappeared into the forest.

**Epilogue**

In the end, it turned out there was in fact Innocence present, just as everyone suspected; _living_ Innocence in the form of a bright red _bird_. Circling in the sky above the clearing, it caused red rain to fall from within its flight path, yet moved so fast it could not be seen without special equipment built by the Black Order Science Department.

The healing rain endued such vitality that wherever it touched, plants grew vigorous, and wounds and ailments miraculously disappeared. Until _recently_ , it also significantly boosted fertility for creatures happening to be in their mating season. In humans, carnal _desires_ deepened— but as it was an _enhancing_ effect, it could not 'create' something that wasn't there in the first place. It merely emboldened people's feelings for persons to whom they were already or would have anyways become attracted. Although in their own way, each Exorcist on the mission came to recognize this exact effect was occurring, it would not figure into any of their mission reports.

Instead, they would focus on the discovery of that Innocence's Compatible User.

Kanda and Allen reported they had been 'investigating' the forest when they heard a 'distinctive' birdsong they recognized from earlier in the day— _even though night was falling._ Following the direction from which the song originated, they spotted something perched on the shattered structure around the well mentioned earlier in their reports as the first site where Akuma were discovered. (Allen footnoted his recollection that there was a birds' nest inside the ruined shelter as well.) Yet no sooner had they been able to make out its feathered profile than it took flight, gliding toward town. Unable to see it so clearly, the boys pursued the avian crooner's aerial serenade.

By Lenalee's account, she 'accompanied' the Finder that evening to 'stop by' his long-term lodgings in town and 'pick up some tools' that might be of use. She stated they hadn't been at his hostel all that long before a noisy blood-red bird zipped in through the window and landed on Raphael's automatically outstretched arm. The teen later explained that the atypical avifauna was his first 'friend' in the region, visiting frequently ever since he came to town. Strikingly, it ceased its musical twittering the instant it touched his bare skin. Lenalee was then able to 'rendezvous' with Allen and Kanda, who soon arrived to chase the bird through the window of his third floor flat. (She left out the argument the two of them immediately launched into about how 'impolite' their entry was… _It was the Finder's residence anyways— We should have taken the stairs— 'Tch!_ YOU _take the stairs!'_ and so on.)

Putting two and two together, Lenalee asked Allen to try helping Raphael activate the parasitic type Innocence, and soon transparent red fluid rained down upon them right within that room. Kanda periodically offered _"Tch!"_ sounds as Lenalee gushed over the 'new' Exorcist that was right under the Order's collective nose. Allen too was cheerful, but this was tempered by displeasure at his clothes getting soaked… _again._ Still, Lenalee was _incredibly_ giddy, frequently 'encouraging' young Raphael with a friendly rub of his back or squeeze of his arm.

As the carriage transports for the rural village allowed only _four_ people to ride together at a time, alternate arrangements had to be made to carry an extra person back. Kanda quickly volunteered to ride back alone on the next available transport, but due to his and Allen's eternal bickering, _both_ were left behind. Lenalee assured a sleepy Miranda (who suspiciously failed to bother asking where Lenalee had slept, the previous night), and a jittery, red-faced, shyly-smiling-at-the-floor Raphael that the two boys needed to "grow up and learn to get along."

And so Allen and Kanda did just that. There was plenty of time for it, after all. Alone for another night in the hotel; the day-long covered wagon ride back to the closest town with a station; and the several days' train ride in a first class sleeper compartment, the two young Exorcists were set to get a _lot_ of practice in.

**End**


End file.
